1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to riding toys and more particularly to a riding toy that can be rocked and rotated in slidable movement with a ground surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Traditionally, children have been drawn to and fascinated with animal type toys. When such a toy is constructed large enough children tend to climb on and ride them. Even in his play a child will straddle a stick or broom and gallup about as if astride a horse and image all sorts of exciting adventures.
Among simulated animal toys the hobbyhorse has long been a familiar object. The hobbyhorse or rocking horse as with other animal toys has progressed from the type mounted on arcuate rails to coiled springs, vibrating platforms, reciprocating vertical rods and the like. For the most part these devices rocked forward and backward and frequently were made to rotate. The translational motion, however, was more or less limited to a stationary base and the riding toy was restricted to a non-traveling motion.
Some attempts have been made to provide a riding toy which will rock and slide or travel on a ground surface. Such a device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,735 issued to Gloria M. Rigby which provides a bowl-shaped article in which a child sits and may rock or turn through provision of handholds. A frusto-conical flange on the device extends outwardly and downwardly from the bowl-shaped body to act as a bumper to limit the rocking motion. It is suggested that a child seats himself in the device, grasps the top portion and can rock back and forth and can also cause the device to turn about while it is being rocked. As pictured, the child must necessarily be seated with his knees drawn up under his chin. In this cramped position it is obviously difficult to apply adequate impetus to the bowl-shaped body to cause it to rock forcefully enough to travel on a floor or ground surface. Ordinarily, having a spherical shaped bottom as shown, the bowl will tilt readily and strike the frusto-conical flange on the floor. The reaction of the flange in combination with the changing positional weight of the child will cause the bowl to rock and tilt it again in the opposite direction. Hence, the bowl will rock or spin in a stationary position.
Similar bowl-shaped devices are shown in the following references:
U.s. pat. No. 3,141,669 PA1 U.s. pat. No. 2,999,688 PA1 U.s. pat. No. 2,988,358
wherein all have the same rocking characteristics, low center of gravity and correspondingly short tilting moment arm with very limiting translational movement in a traveling direction.
Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide an animal shaped riding toy which will rock and slide freely on a ground surface and therewith will travel about as long as the rocking motion is maintained.